Hiphop DX: Romey
There is no better school when it comes to Hip-Hop than that of experience and no better a location for that school than the streets of Chicago. Having pulled from all regions and coasts, one thing that can be said for your Chi-Town rappers is they always wear a different coat to their home-town associates. From the tonguistic Twista, to the cognizant Common and to the lyrical Lupe, each persona embodies a different dynamic encouraging the stability and recognized diversity of their city.
Romey is no different. Rapping from an early age having studied the works of the masters, Rakim & KRS One, he looks like he is ready to find an available spot and make sure his name stays as constant as his contemporaries and his teachers. With an ability to recognize the areas that an unsigned artist needs to work at it is only a matter of time before he finds a situation appropriate to his needs.
With multiple mixtapes to his credit, an endorsement from Makaveli and having opened for nearly every major artist who has swept through the windy city, Romey gets into just what makes him and his state unique with us here at HipHopDX. Filling our MYSPACE artist of the month spot, he talks future plans and gang culture giving us an insight to what life before the dotted line is really all about.
Can you give us a brief background on how you got into rapping?
I got into rapping at an early age. I would listen to all the old school rappers from my uncles tape collection. I use to spend hours studying all the greats; Rakim, LL, KRS One, Run DMC, then once I got into junior high I just start battling and performing in talent shows and any other place I could perform, so I started trying to be a rapper very young.
Chicago has a serious gang presence which most of the US is unfamiliar with, how easy is it to get caught up in street life in Chicago?
It's virtually impossible for you to come up in the Chi and not be in a gang or affiliated with one. The gangs are so organized to the point where if you from this block you with this gang and even if you’re not in that gang, if your guys you grew up with it, get into it, you’re going to ride with them so you can't escape the street life. Basically, even if you are not in a gang where you from determines what people think you are.
Hailing from Chicago, home to Lupe, Common, Twista, Naledge etc etc, how do you differentiate and set yourself apart from all the others coming out of there?
Chicago is a huge melting pot and we in the middle of the country so we have an advantage being able to catch all the hot music from all the other regions; that's why you have all these talented artists from the land but we all have our own unique styles. What separates me from the other Chicago artist is I bring that smooth successful Chicago hustlers story to forefront. I'm in the process of making that transition from the street game to the rap game and it's unfolding right in front of my hometown.
As an unsigned artist, what are the hardest obstacles to overcome?
The biggest obstacle is distinguishing yourself from all the mediocre music that's out. Also getting your music on commercial radio and getting the DJ’s to play your songs in the club is an obstacle. In this game, you definitely have to pay your dues.
What have you done to encourage your buzz, both regionally and nationally?
Regionally I am the # 1 unsigned rapper on myspace.com in the Midwest. I have done mixtapes with DJ G-Spot & Sean Mac, I am out in the streets with my street team passing out flyers, I am doing shows all the time, and I have networked with local businesses and influential people in this region to build my brand. Nationally I have worked with Atlantic Records Director of A&R, Sickamore with two Mixtapes Goodfellas and The Chicago Takeover CD/DVD. I’m over 30,000 sold out the trunk, hand to hand, grass root hustle. I have been featured in numerous websites, magazines, and other media services. I am The Source magazines Unsigned Hype artist in the SEPT/OCT issue, I am a Makaveli Branded sponsored artist and I have been doing shows in other regions.
You have worked with some of the best of the best when it comes to production, No ID, Kanye, do you prefer to work with a producer and build a track together or would you rather go through multiple beat cds to find what you are looking for?
It really doesn't matter because any true artists know the right or wrong track for them whether it was made today or ten years ago. My in house producers Unit-7 and The Studio Beatz know my flavor so whether I'm in the studio with them or they sending me a beat tape, I always get hot music accustomed to my style.
Do you get involved in production?
I most definitely give my input on tracks from time to time. If I don't like the drums or the baseline or different sounds in a track, I speak up because you never want to just accept a beat and it not fit your vision. As an artist each song is like a painting and you want all elements to flow together.
How important has the internet been in creating your buzz?
Very important, I have been featured and interviewed on all the top hip hop websites so me being able to get that exposure on the net has opened my fan base up on an international level. I have been featured on mixtapes all across the world and the internet made it possible for different DJ's and fans from everywhere to even know about Romey and Get Rich Records. The internet also allows the consumer to give me feedback on my music and helps me understand what the people are feeling.
You talked about doing a Gangsta Grillz at one point with DJ Drama, do you think that to make an impression with a Mixtape you need a big name DJ or host on there?
I get a lot of extra exposure because I strategically work with the top Mixtape DJ's and I believe you are the company you keep. If you work with and are around the best, more often than not you become the best. Also most of the time the big name DJ’s have great ears and dictate to the masses who’s hot and what’s hot.
You have always enjoyed performing on stage, what makes a good stage performance in your estimation as a fan?
An artist that can absorb all the energy from the fans and be able to give it all back. I studied Doug E Fresh, LL, Busta, and DMX. The combination of the passion, the hand movements, the word play, and the crowd participation, all those little things mixed together makes a good stage performance.
Best concert you have ever seen and why?
I would have to say Hard Knock Life tour, DMX, no hype man just him and the fans, the way he rocked it from front to back, the atmosphere was crazy that night, I'll never forget that.
How important is marketing today for unsigned artists and how important is understanding marketing?
It's one of the most important factors for artists signed or unsigned. The key is to know what fans are going to understand and attack those people so they become your fans, then expand musically and let them grow with you. The artists that have that gift are the ones who sell millions. You have to make good music for yourself but you also have to market your music to the people that are buying it. Marketing and Branding is also key because Hip Hop is more than music, it’s a lifestyle, a message, and a way of life…
What are you up to in the immediate future?
I am currently working on some more Mixtape projects; I have a Mixtape that I am working on with OG Ron C in Houston, DJ Chuck T, and a few more surprises. We are in the streets daily pushing the four mixtapes that I have dropped in the last year and I am also working on my album. Beyond that I am constantly doing shows and I have just begun to venture into real estate.
